Early expectations for what this team will look like as well as goals for the season.

Salary Cap: Will likely sit again at the cap floor, but expect this years team to be much better. In order to make room for farm assets we called up Colin White and Jayce Hawryluk prematurely and they didn't figure in at all in season one. I can't imagine they are outside the NHL next season, but it remains to be seen what kind of production they can produce. Much of the team that is retained will have a .25 salary and the team will likely call up 4-5 players from the farm also which will up the total amount paid to players we are keeping. With a $40 cap coming into the draft, and a $30 floor in season, we should be able to get either one or two really high priced free agents with the intention of flipping them for futures. We can sign the whole team for less than $10 in terms of assets we are keeping, White and Hawryluk being at the high end of that.

Goals: We think that a Reject Cup is reasonable next season. We came in at the bottom seed this season, but expect to come in at a much higher seed next year. Not quite enough to actually make the playoffs, but closer to the playoffs than the absolute bottom. Too early to tell if we'll pick up a player in the 2018 NHL draft that will go directly to the NHL since we fell to 4th overall. Brady Tkachuk could go straight the NHL if that's where the team decided to go with the first pick, but it's unlikely. We do expect to see some farm players in the NHL this season and they will get Toewes immediately to make room for more picks on the farm. Hopefully we don't have the same fate with that move as we did with Colin White and Jayce Hawryluk.

Below we will take a look at the likely fate of the 2017-18 squad as well as hopes for the farm.

Cheap Thieves Roster Keeper Assets in Order of Value:

1. F Nolan Patrick, PHI- Will be Aho'd and signed for two more years at $3.00. He has really come on of late and could lead the team in scoring next season.
2. D Damon Severson, NJ.- Already signed for two more years and at a decent $.0.75 salary. Hopeful he can post a .250 PPPG next season with upside.
3. F Jujhar Khaira, EDM.-Could be signed to an Aho contract at .25 for two more years. Not a lot of upside offensively, but minimal risk.
4. F Dominik Simon, PIT.-Could be signed to an Aho contract at .25 for two more years. Has some upside offensively, with minimal risk.
5. D Joakim Ryan, SJ.-played top line minutes as a rookie and has started to put up some points. 100% to be signed to .25 Aho contract.
6. D Sebastian Aho, NYI.-hasn't been given a ton of minutes but looks good as a rookie. Will be signed to a .25 Aho contract.
7. D Matt Grzelcyk, BOS.-mostly a regular as a rookie in Boston. Will be signed to a .25 Aho contract.
8. F Colin White, OTT.-burned a year of his contract, but will need to sign him to an Aho contract at $1.50. He may also get moved to make room for Logan Brown.
9. F Jayce Hawryluk, FLA.-he knows how to party, this much I know! Not getting a chance in Florida, will be signed to a $1.50 Aho with little expectation.
10. D Erik Gustafsson, CHI.-depending what happens in the off season he could get a .25 one year contract. Not Aho eligible.
11. D Mackenzie Weegar, FLA.-offensive upside hasn't materialized, but likely to get a .25 Aho contract in the hopes of a bigger role for Florida.
12. F Martin Frk, DET.-looked like a good rookie season, but not getting even strength minutes and has been a healthy scratch. Likely still for a .25 Aho contract.
13. F Devin Shore, DAL.-doesn't figure into future plans with the team.
14. F Tomas Nosek, VGK.-I own a jersey, but he has hands of stone and I don't expect to sign him despite being Aho eligible at .25
15. F David Kampf, CHI.- could Aho him for .25, but he is another one that is on the fence of being kept. Will depend on how many roster spots we have left.
16. F Barclay Goodrow, SJ.- won't be resigned.
17. F Kalle Kossila, ANA.-frustrating, huge output in the AHL but not given much of a chance in ANA. Could Aho him, but he may be a career AHLer.
18. F Nail Yakupov, COL.- showed flashes early, but the 1st overall pick has spent 4 straight as a healthy scratch and likely won't be resigned.
19. F Remi Elie, DAL.- Aho eligible for .25, hasn't shown a ton of offense and we have Roope Hintz & Jason Robertson in DAL knocking on the door. Another on the fence.
20. F Joe Thorton, SJ.-could trade if there is a market after injury, otherwise he won't be kept.
21. F Kenny Agostino, BOS.- Aho eligible for .25 but we waited to see what he could do at the NHL level and it wasn't impressive. Likely gone.
22. F Jordan Szwarz, BOS.- At 26, Szwarz is too old for what this team wants to do and he hasn't made an impact at the NHL level. Gone.
23. D Alexander Carrier, NSH.- Didn't play an NHL game and has some AHL experience but won't crack NSH blueline any tome soon. Goner.
24. F Casey Cizikas, NYI.- Signed for two more years at .50 he may be bought out to simply make room for new blood.
25. D Chris Bigras, NYR.- deadbeat running out of chances. Move to NYR could help, but he has gotten a look in the NHL and it wasn't good. Gone.
26. D Paul Ladue, LA.- we traded for him expecting him to make the team, but it's not going to happen and we aren't resigning him at .50
27. F Jason Pominville, BUF.- thanks for your service. Contract expired and $5.75 comes off the books.
28. F David Backes, BOS.- We took on the salary to reach the cap floor and he led the team in scoring. Obviously not an $8 player.

Farm Assets Ranked as Most Valuable:

1. F Sebastian Aho, CAR. 2.00- Will be Toewes call up and should be the star of the team. The best player in the system right now. Should lead team in scoring.
2. F Jonathan Dahlen, VAN. 0.50- Great season in Europe, next season could be the time to help a rebuilding franchise. Would like to Toewes/Aho this season.
3. F Klim Kostin, STL. 2.50- In the AHL now, STL is deep at forward so he may need another season in the AHL. Unlikely to be called up till 19-20.
4. F Kole Lind, VAN. 2.00- Signed an NHL contract, lighting up the WHL, should be an AHLer this season. Call up in 19-20.
5. F Vitali Abramov, CLB 1.00- Has to go pro this season. Columbus could use him. Will make a jump to AHL and could be called up this season.
6. F Dillon Dube, CAL. .50- Great season in WHL, really cheap price, might have to call him up this year despite not being a lock to make the Flames.
7. F Jason Robertson, DAL. 2.00- Scorer, not NHL ready just yet, hopeful to call him up no later than 20-21.
8. F Logan Brown, OTT. 2.50- Played 4 games with Ottawa, team is in a rebuild, he could win a job. We also have White, so hopeful we can wait a year till 19-20 for callup.
9. F Jaret-Anderson Dolan, LA. 2.00- Really turning it on! Good chance he plays a season in the AHL then room should be there for him in 19-20.
10. D Ian Mitchell, CHI. 1.00- producing in the NCAA. Still a few years away but there is promise. Expect a call up in 21-22.
11. F Brett Howden, NYR. 2.50- the move to NYR should see him in NYR this coming season. Likely to be Toewes/Aho'd this season.
12. F Mitchell Stephens, TB.- scoring at the AHL level, two way player that could play a 4th line role in TB next season. Hopeful he can be Toewes/Aho'd
13. F Jeremy Bracco, TOR. 2.00- coming around in TOR. Might not be ready to make the jump since Leafs are deep at forward. Hopeful for a 19-20 call up.
14. F Roope Hintz, DAL. 0.50- has done "OK" in the AHL. He is a cheap one at .50 so could be called up to the Thieves early, this coming season.
15. F Jesper Boqvist, NJ. 1.50- injured to start the year, he is a few years away from playing in the NHL. Hopeful to call him up by 2021-22.
16. F Antoine Morand, ANA. 1.50- not in love with this pick. He is producing OK, but no expectations to call him up till 2021-22.
17. F Joni Ikonen, MTL. 1.50- stock dropping, despite scouts still being high on him. It was a stretch pick, hoping he develops and is called up for 2021-22.
18. D Connor Hobbs, WAS. 0.50- not impressed with his production. Had some hope he could be in WAS this year, most likely 2019-20.
19. F David Kase, PHI. 0.50 +1- A Euro project that is starting to produce a little, but he may be sacrificed if we can't make the room to keep him.

Please use the comments to demonstrate your own ignorance, unfamiliarity with empirical data and lack of respect for scientific knowledge. Be sure to create straw men and argue against things I have neither said nor implied. If you could repeat previously discredited memes or steer the conversation into irrelevant, off topic discussions, it would be appreciated. Lastly, kindly forgo all civility in your discourse . . . you are, after all, anonymous.

Was there any other direction he could have possibly trended in after last season?

Lol no, but stagnant was a possibility I guess.

Please use the comments to demonstrate your own ignorance, unfamiliarity with empirical data and lack of respect for scientific knowledge. Be sure to create straw men and argue against things I have neither said nor implied. If you could repeat previously discredited memes or steer the conversation into irrelevant, off topic discussions, it would be appreciated. Lastly, kindly forgo all civility in your discourse . . . you are, after all, anonymous.

Either you super overvalue Erik Gustafsson, or you only have three assets of value on the roster.

He is a .25 player who will likely get PP time. Look at the roster under him and tell me which ones are more valuable? Seriously, the roster is that bad LOL. I don't think I have him placed incorrectly.

He is a .25 player who will likely get PP time. Look at the roster under him and tell me which ones are more valuable? Seriously, the roster is that bad LOL. I don't think I have him placed incorrectly.

Fair lol

Iím just sour on him because I had him his first year, brought him back and he spent the whole season in the minors.

With Duncan Keith and Seabrook declining he should have a decent role offensively and is just 26 so entering his prime. When I calculate values for roster players and farm players I incorporate their salary. For example, I expect Klim Kostin $2.50 to be a better offensive player than Roope Hintz $0.50 but Hintz is more valuable to me because of the low salary, while Kostin could be overpaid if he doesn't reach his potential.